IS IT TRUE MAY 29, 2015

19

IS IT TRUE we hear that it might be worthwhile if the “Riecken For Mayor” committee would do a “Freedom Of Information Request” on the Uniform Crime Report concerning the City of Evansville? …this request should cover 2012, 2013 and 2014 and the first quarter of 2015 so accurate comparisons of previous years can be done? …this would allow the “Riecken For Mayor” committee to do a fact check and see if indeed Mayor Winnecke claims that crime is down under his watch?

IS IT TRUE it  been alleged that a couple of Board of Directors members at the Alhambra Theatre has overstayed their board appointed position which ended in January of this year? … we are also hearing that the Alhambra Board of Directors may be considering giving this Historic Theatre building over to the Arts Council to make it into a Arts Gallery?  …that past board members have asked for copies of the current bylaws, to no avail?  … its alleged that one board member is employed by the Arts Council, which poses a direct conflict of interest if the Board of Directors turns Alhambra over to the Arts Council to ruin?

 IS IT TRUE  the Alhambra Board of Directors are sitting on $20,000 that will probably be turned over to the Arts Council if the Board gives Alhambra to them? …this Historic Theatre is an icon of our community and should remain a theatre, not an art gallery?  …you can rest assure that the CCO shall keep you informed about happenings concerning the possibility of turning the Alhambra Theatre into an Arts Gallery?  …a better use of this fine facility would be to merge with Civic Theater and re-locate Civic Theater to the Alhambra?

 IS IT TRUE it’s time we talk about another community icon called the the McCurdy?  …this month’s renovation figures are expected to cost between $10-13 million.   …we now are told this  Historic Hotel will become an apartments complex  and the first floor will house a microbrewery and grocery store?  …we wonder what happen to the idea of  putting a 4 Star restaurant in the McCurdy?

 IS IT TRUE everyday it looks more like the McCurdy is becoming a serious candidate for “Demolition By Neglect”?  … that a close confidant of former City Attorney David Jones,  David Gunn has sued Kunkel Group for a loan made with the McCurdy as collateral.

 IS IT TRUE that Governor Mike Pence’s selections including two educators with connections to the Evansville area?  …Pence reappointed B.J. Watts, former City Councilman and a Evansville school teacher, to the State Board of Education, and appointed former Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. Superintendent Vince Bertram to serve as a new member on the board.  … Bertram is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of “Project Lead the Way” in Indianapolis?  …we wonder if “Project Lead The Way” receives any tax supported money from the State?  …if they do wouldn’t this be an obvious conflict of interest?

Please take time and vote in todays “Readers Poll”. Also we just posted the current City County Observer TRI-STATE VOICES TV show for you’re viewing pleasure.

Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

19 COMMENTS

  1. No comments today yet or is the CCO broke down again. Last night my comments on yesterdays IIT didn’t show up right away. A couple of them showed up this morning. Sorry for the duplicate posts but I was not sure that they were posting or not.

  3. I guess they have a two hour delay so as to moderate the posts now or the server is messed up. Did the CCO ever find out who was behind the hack attack a few months ago? You said that you would report about that and who was behind it but I’ve not seen anything about that yet. I’m wondering of they are at it again or if the server justs needs a reboot. I noticed that posts I made this morning around 7 to 7:30 am are now showing up in here a hour later.

  4. Is it true that the EPD annual reports for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 are posted on the EPD website and include the crime statistics? Is it true that those reports do not support any statement related to a decrease in crime? Is it true that crimes against property and unsolved crimes are up? The Courier reported has reported increased crime. Winnecke is alleging a reduction in meth labs, which is true. What he doesn’t tell you is that we have just as much in Evansville. Thanks to making it more difficult to make meth locally, it now comes in from other places, including Mexico. With the new meth, comes an increase in gang activity and guns. These are the unintended consequences of making it more difficult to get pseudoephedrine (spelling ?). It’s the same with the increase in heroine use. The crack down on prescription opiates drove up the price. Heroin is a cheaper version of the same family of drugs.

  5. IS IT TRUE everyday it looks more like the McCurdy is becoming a serious candidate for “Demolition By Neglect”? … that a close confidant of former City Attorney David Jones, David Gunn has sued Kunkel Group for a loan made with the McCurdy as collateral. (CCO)

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Collateral? I would sure like to see a current appraisal, by a reputable firm, giving their estimate of what that property is worth.

    It goes to serve a point, and that is that the only thing of value at that location is the land it is sitting on. If things go as usual, some local crony will get the property for a song after the taxpayers pay for the demolition. It has happened that way in this city more times than I care to count.

    • Press: How’d the neighbor across the street come out on site valuation due the current appraisal?
      Seems that took a reduction and the revenue base was reduced by that. The mainstream didn’t report it however the CCO did. In reference of the ONB building.

    • Pressanykey, went by the McCurdy today and noted several broken windows on the south side of the building. The building looks to be in terrible shape. The old River House Hotel is starting to look almost as bad as the McCurdy. The McCurdy and Mesker Amphitheater are both DYING from neglect. Simply pitiful and inexcusable.

      • FAA nixes plan to move McCurdy residents to airport hotel property
        Dan Shaw
        1:12 PM, Nov 24, 2008
        …….
        “Meanwhile, the city continues to provide support for the plans to renovate the McCurdy. Last week, the City Council voted to give the project a tax abatement, which will phase in over nine years any taxes owed on improvements made to the McCurdy.

        The Evansville Redevelopment Commission has voted to give an $800,000 grant to the project. Further grants of $10,000 have been pledged for each apartment built between the 80th unit and the 96th unit.

        The renovation itself is being undertaken by City Centre Properties — a partnership between Scott-Hilliard-Kosene and The Kunkel Group.”

        • I would like to know where the sign up list is for a piece of this McCurdy action. How many people have walked away from this project with taxpayer money in their pockets after having done zip, zero, Nada? Should this be investigated as a crony slush fund?

      • Mayor, developer say parking needed for McCurdy deal
        Jimmy Nesbitt
        12:00 AM, Oct 9, 2007
        ….
        “Last week, the Evansville Redevelopment Commission approved a resolution to purchase the parking lot adjacent to the McCurdy for $603,000, an amount that Commission president Bob Goldman said left a bad taste in his mouth.”

        • Bob Should have resigned instead of leading this venture if it left a bad taste in his mouth. Seriously. Why is the government buying up land and properties only to give them away to a Government Official’s friend? Why is this not ILLEGAL? IT SHOULD BE IMHO!

      • Avian habitat site, with some enhanced mammalians as well. Bats for progress so to speak.
        ” What’s in your belfry?”………………

  6. Off topic, but it looks like they have started clearing ground for the Meijer store on the east side. I heard the opening is slated for some time in 2016. Also, there is a construction trailer and some work going on at the old Hills/Venture property @ Diamond and 1st Ave. Anyone know what is going on there?

    • Thought that first avenue site was being eyed for a neighborhood Walmart grocery. Logistics wise we couldn’t believe wally world would see a decent market share on the location. The area there is already at its saturation point with the three grocery stores in and around that north park location.

  9. The Alhambra is far too small to be a theatre presenting live theatre productions. It would be a great facility for the Arts Council and what better place for them then in the Arts District. To even suggest that Civic Theatre would be interested in this small facility is laughable. Their present facility is many times larger then this building. This rather small bldg. was built for a neighborhood movie theatre not for live theatre. Whoever thought to give this to the Arts Council is brilliant! A perfect use for a building that has had far too much money put in it for restoration. Just do it!

Comments are closed.